Humans
Many races (especially in older books) refer to the “Standard” method of determining psionic ability. This table is located in the entry for human beings in this section. 'Human Beings' The original inhabitants of Rifts Earth are still the most numerous and still considered the norm when discussing most areas of Rifts Earth, especially the Midwest of North America, which is the default setting for Rifts. Humans are, as they have been for the entirety of their existence, a race that can commit great atrocities, and bring the greatest of heroes and innovators, and do the greatest good for their neighbors and friends. In fact humans are known widely for the capacity to fulfill any role from victim to villain to vanquishing hero. The Coalition States is a nation run by humans, for humans, and against all comers. They have a significant population of mutants (human and otherwise), but the majority are completely normal humans. They are also the strongest military, economic, and cultural presence in the region and in North America in general. They are also xenophobic, react strongly and violently to threats (both real and imagined) and are capable of the greatest of atrocities. Despite this, their citizens (and soldiers) are just every day normal folk trying to survive. They believe themselves to be the inheritors of the great American Empire of the glorious time before the Rifts. The majority of all other humans are simply trying to survive in a world gone mad. They cling to the cities, or to their small settlements out in the wild country of Rifts Earth. They may eke out an existence as a hunter-gatherer, live as farmers or ranchers, or live in high tech sprawls where things like running water and hot food (even if that food is not always nutritious) are completely taken for granted. This wide disparity in living conditions defines part of what makes Rifts the dynamic setting it is. Alignments: Any; player characters should lean toward good and selfish. The Eight Attributes: Number of six-sided dice rolled is designated. I.Q. 3D6, M.E. 3D6, M.A. 3D6, P.S. 3D6, P.P. 3D6, P.E. 3D6, P.B. 3D6, Spd. 3D6 Hit Points: P.E. attribute number plus 1D6 per each level of experience starting with level one. S.D.C.: Standard; Starting S.D.C. will be gained in the normal manner through OCC, Skill choices and by M.O.S. Average P.P.E.: 2D6 for most adults; 5D6 for human children until about age 16. Occupational Character Classes (O.C.C.s): Any Horror Factor: Not applicable. Physical Appearance: Varies widely. Height: Men: 56” + 4d6” (5'10" is average) Women: 50” + 4d6” (5'4" is average) Weight: Men: 90 + (Height difference rolled multiplied by half the character's Physical Strength attribute) (164 lbs is average) Women: 60 + (Height difference rolled multiplied by half the character's Physical Strength attribute) (134 lbs is average) Note: A character's Fit Weight can increase or decrease based on body fat levels, skeletal frame size, and other attributes. Average Life Span: 60-130 years. Special/Natural Abilities: Good intelligence, creative, resourceful, and adaptable. Humans also exhibit a reasonably high percentage of psychic ability (see the section on determining psionics). Magic: By available O.C.C.s only. None among the C.S. Army. Psionics: There are three ways of getting a character who has psionic powers. The first, and simplest way, is to select one of the Psychic Occupational Character Classes. A master psionic is the most powerful of all natural psychics and is available only from the Psychic O.C.C.s. A psychic character class automatically gets psionic abilities. Each Specific Psychic O.C.C. will explain the character's background, orientation, and psi-abilities. However, while the psychic O.C.C. is heavy with psi-powers, it is limited in skill development. The second way is to select an O.C.C. that has minor psionics, like the mystic, operator, techno-wizard, crazies, and cyber-knight, but these characters have only a tiny bit of psychic powers. The third way to get a character with psionics is to roll percentile dice on the following random table. This section is often referred to as the “Standard” method of obtaining psionics. 'Random Psionics Table' '01-09% Major Psionics' Select a total of eight powers from any one category (Sensitive, Physical, or Healer) or a total of six powers with selections made from two or three of those categories. Base Inner Strength Points (I.S.P.) are the character’s M.E. +4d6. Add 1d6+1 at each level of experience. '10-25% Minor Psionics' Select two powers from any one of the following psionic categories (Sensitive, Physical, or Healer). In the grand scheme of things, power of this level is considered inconsequential, though it may have a profound impact on the character’s life. Base Inner Strength (I.S.P.) are the character’s M.E. + 2d6. At each level of experience add 1d6 I.S.P. '26-00% No Psionics' Sorry! 'Muties' Some mutants are very different from humanity in general. Muties are not. They are nominally human, with a few traits that mark them as different. Sometimes they mutations are extremely beneficial. Others are a reaction to something horrible making survival harder than normal, and while they allow the mutie to survive, these mutations don’t make it easy on them. Whether the mutations are helpful, benign, or debilitating, they are also a source of discrimination. Humanity has largely left behind any concerns of the racial variations of humans, considering the threat to humanity posed by mutants, d-bees, and monsters from beyond of far greater importance. Muties are usually able to have children with humans, and have an equal chance to pass on their traits as their chance to not pass on those traits, just as a normal parent may or may not pass on their hair color to a child. Muties can be born from normal human parents, and normal humans can be born from two mutie parents. In fact it is perfectly reasonable for a human and a mutie to be siblings, even twins in some rare cases. To determine if your character is a mutie, you can roll on the following table: : 01-05% Very Powerful Mutie (roll 1d4+2 times on the following tables). If you are psychic, you may choose one additional psychic power from those you can choose from, or the GM may allow you to get some other mutant power from another source instead. GM approval only. Without GM approval, you are simply a Mutie (below) : 06-20% Mutie (roll 1d4 times on the following tables) : 21-00%'' Normal (completely normal) Muties roll on the following tables and apply that to their character. They are otherwise identical to humans. Note that some mutations may grant psychic abilities, modify the chance to become psionic, grant special abilities, or simply add P.P.E. to the mutant. Game Masters are encouraged to enforce the players roll on this table if they wish to play a mutie. Psychic O.C.C.s are common. Technically any psychic is a mutie, due to how their occupational choice changes their abilities. Psychics, are not, however, required to use these tables. They are encouraged to do so. '''01-05% Strange Ears' : 01-20% Pointy (+1 to hearing perception tests) : 21-40% Larger than normal 2 or 3 times larger : 41-60% Tinier than normal the size of a small coin. : 61-80% Alien Appearance : 81-00% No ears at all! Just two small openings 06-10% Unusual Eyes : 01-20% Very Small (about half the size as usual) : 21-40% Round : 41-60% Large, bulging eyes (at least twice as big as usual) : 61-80% Very Eliptical : 81-00% Glowing Eyes (Gain nightvision at 150 ft) 11-15% Odd Facial Features : 01-30% Sunken featiures Sunken eyes and cheeks, pencil thin lips, and receding hairline. PB Attribute becomes 2d4+2 instead of 3d6. : 31-60% Angelic, beautiful face add 1d6+4 to P.B. : 61-90% Large bridge over eyes - Neanderthal look -4 to P.B. : 91-00% Fangs and Pointed Teeth The character has a grossly enlarged jaw with fangs. In hand to hand combat they can Bite for 1D6 damage 16-20% Sharp teeth, fangs, or an unusual tounge 21-25% Textured, scaly, or lumpy skin 26-30% Odd skin color and/or pattern : 01-10% Odd skin color: Mottled and scaly grey or light blue : 11-20% Green or Yellow : 21-30% Red : 31-40% Blotchy skin; body is covered with patches of grey, white or brown patches, large and small : 41-50% Light & Dark Blue : 51-60% Stark White : 61-70% Black (As coal) : 71-80% Purple : 86-90% Orange : 91-95% Metallic looking (Soft & Warm, but smooth and glossy like metal; gold, silver, bronze, etc) : 96-00% Two Odd Colors 31-35% Odd hair color or pattern : 01-10% Orange : 11-20% Green : 21-30% Light Blue : 31-40% Bright Flame Red : 41-50% Bright Yellow : 51-60% Metalic Silver, Red or Gold : 61-70% Dark Blue : 71-80% Purple : 81-90% Streaked with normal colors Choose a normal hair color blonde, brown, black, white, or grey). : 91-00% Streaked with odd colors with 1d4 stripes of another color. Roll again and ignore any result 81% or higher. 36-40% Extreme amounts of body hair 41-45% Fur covers the body 46-50% Very little or no body hair 51-55% Small horns, antennae, or spikes 56-60% Prehensile tail or tentacles 61-65% Prehensile toes or feet 66-70% Clawed Hands or feet 71-75% Extremely stocky or slender build (+40% body weight or -40% body weight) 76-80% Tall Add 12" to base height. 81-85% Short Reduce base height by 18" 86-87% Secondary Respiration via a set of gills. The most common manifestation is to breathe underwater, but others may exist. 88-89% Delicate, sensitive hands with long slender fingers (+5% to escape artist, palming, pick pockets and similar skills that require manual dexterity and a delicate touch 90-91% Large lumps and spines protruding at body joints 92-94% P.P.E. Vampire Gain Special Ability 6 of the Psi-Stalker. 95-97% Ambidextrous : Adds one extra attack per melee, +1 to parry, +5% to climbing, escape artist, pick locks, mechanical and electrical repair skills. 98-00% Psionically Invisible. : Due to unusual brain chemistry, the character does not register to any form of psionic detection or mind reading, including telepathy, empathy, presence sense, sixth sense, etc. All other abilities, including mind control, mind wipe, mind bond, bio-manipulation, and even empathic transmission, affect the character normally. Does not affect the character's resistance to magic in any form. If the character is psionic, do not take this characteristic; reroll. 'Rolling Attributes' When determining attributes, you have two options. The first option is to roll them as described in the racial description above, assigning them to your stats. If you roll a total of 16, 17, or 18, then you may roll 1d6 extra and add it to that total. You may also reroll any result less than 9. The second option is to roll 1d100, and determine which of the following quick roll tables you will use. You may use either the specific roll you used, or you may reverse the numbers and choose that result instead. The attributes must be rolled individually and specifically noted in the roll. Example: 03:45, Today: CS 4th Army Command rolled 22 using 1d6+18. Brainy IQ: 1d6+18. Attributes and Suggested M.O.S. 01-11% Brainy : I.Q. 1D6+18 : M.E. 1D6+12 : M.A. 1D4+10 : P.S. 1D6+9 : P.P. 1D4+9 : P.E. 1D4+8 : P.B. 1D6+9 : Spd. 1D6+11 Your character is best suited to an M.O.S. that involves mental challenges, assessing data, research, creating/building, learning, engineering, electronics, science, medicine, and strategies and tactics. 13-26% Strong-willed : I.Q. 1D6+11 : M.E. 1D6+19 : M.A. 1D6+9 : P.S. 1D6+9 : P.P. 1D4+13 : P.E. 1D6+10 : P.B. 1D6+9 : Spd. 1D6+8 Your character is best suited to an M.O.S. that involves focus, self-discipline, and challenges. 27-39% Charismatic : I.Q. 1D6+10 : M.E. 1D6+9 : M.A. 1D6+18 : P.S. 1D4+10 : P.P. 1D4+10 : P.E. 1D6+9 : P.B. 1D6+14 : Spd. 1D6+9 Your character is best suited to an M.O.S. that involves leadership, officer training, teaching, communications, performing, espionage, and subterfuge. 40-51% Physically Strong : I.Q. 1D4+10 : M.E. 1D4+10 : M.A. 1D6+10 : P.S. 1D6+19 : P.P. 1D4+12 : P.E. 1D6+15 : P.B. 1D6+12 : Spd. 1D6+11 Your character is best suited to an M.O.S. that that involves physicality, mechanics, athletics, combat, and strength. 52-65% Fast Reflexes and High Dexterity : I.Q. 1D4+10 : M.E. 1D6+9 : M.A. 1D6+8 : P.S. 1D6+9 : P.P. 1D6+19 : P.E. 1D6+9 : P.B. 1D6+10 : Spd. 1D6+17 Your character is best suited to an M.0.S. that involves the precision use or hands, tools, weapons, targeting, fast physical reaction, combat, building, surgery and other areas where steady and fast hands are a key element. 66-78% Great Endurance : I.Q. 1D4+9 : M.E. 1D6+14 : M.A. ID6+8 : P.S. 1D6+9 : P.P. 1D6+9 : P.E. 1D6+19 : P.B. 1D6+9 : Spd. 1D6+12 Your character is best suited to an M.0.S. that requires physical durability and mental toughness. 79-88% Gorgeous or Handsome : I.Q. 1D4+10 : M.E. 1D6+9 : M.A. 1D6+15 : P.S. ID6+11 : P.P. 1D6+8 : P.E. 1D6+9 : P.B. 1D4+20 : Spd. 1D6+9 Your character is best suited to an M.O.S. that involves command, teaching, communications, performing, trickery, or subterfuge. 89-00% Fast as Lightning : I.Q. 1D4+9 : M.E. 1D6+9 : M.A. 1D6+9 : P.S. 1D6+9 : P.P. 1D6+14 : P.E. 1D6+10 : P.B. 1D6+10 : Spd. 2D6+20 Your character is best suited to an M.O S. that involves quickness and dexterity, including targeting, combat, fast physical reaction, and other areas where fast hands and feet are an asset. Back to Rifts CS Character Creation Choose your O.C.C. and continue character creation.